Track-brake.



PATENTED FEB. 10, l903.

H.- 1;. DESHLER. TRACK BRAKE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFicE.

HENRY D. DESHLER, OF BELVIDERE, NEW JERSEY.

TRACK-BRAKE;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,005, dated,February 10, 1903. Application filed April 18, 1902. Serial No. 103,616.(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY D. DESHLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Belvidere, in the countyof Warren and State of New Jersey,have invented a new and useful Track-Brake, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to car-brakes, more particularly to the classknown as emergency-brakes, employed only when it is required to check orstop the car suddenly; and the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of the construction, as hereinafter shown and described, andspecified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, Figure 1 is a frontelevation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevationsillustrating modifications in the construction. Fig. 5 is a section ofthe grippingjaws on the line 11 of Fig. 1, illustrating anothermodification of the construction.

This device may be applied to any-form of rail, either the ordinaryT-rail represented at 10 or to the street-car or flange rail representedat 10 or any other of the various forms.

Suspended from the framework of the car or from the truck-frames is abracket or sup port 12, suitably braced and supported, and slidablydisposed upon this support is a pressure-foot member 13, having ahorizontal portion 13 and a vertical portion 13 the part 13 adapted toengage the top of the head 10 of the rail and the part 13 laterallyextended and adapted to engage the side of the head 1O when thepressure-foot is operated.

Attached to the member 13 by a hinged joint 14 is a movable jaw member15, the lower end 15 laterally extended and corresponding to andopposing the part 13 on the opposite side of the head 10, as shown.

Supported revolubly in the bracket 12 is a shaft 16, carrying aneccentric 17, the latter engaging the member 13 in a slot 17 therein, sothat when the shaft 16 is revolved the cocentric will forcibly move themember 13 downward and cause the foot 13 to engage the top of the headof the rail.

In the bottomof the s1ot'17 is inserted a heavy coiled spring-17 toreceive the impact of the eccentric, and thus gradually transmit theforce to the member 13, so that a yield- V able contact is affordedbetween the member -13 and the rail.

Journaled.transversely upon the member 13 is a shaft 18, carrying aneccentric 19, the latter disposed to engage the upper part of the jawmember 15 and operate the jaw member when the shaft 18 is revolved.

The jaw member 15 will be provided with aspring 15", Where the eccentric19 engages it, to receive the pressure and gradually transmit the forceto the jaw member, so that a yieldable contact is afforded between thejaw and the eccentric and the force therefore gradually applied to therail.

The shaft 16 is provided with an arm 20, and the shaft 18 is providedwith an arm 21, the free end of the arm 21 turned outward, as at 21, andengaging a slot 22 in an arm 22*, the latter pivotally connected at 22by its lower end to the arm 20 near the shaft 16, as shown. The free endof the slotted arm 22 is connected to the free end of the arm 20 by aspring 23.

Projecting from the arm 20 is a stop 20*, with which a similar stop 22on the arm 22 engages when the lovers are actuated, as hereinaftershown.

The arms 20 and 22 are loosely coupled by a link 22, adapted to limitthe outward movements of the arms, but permitting the movement of thearm 22 toward the arm 20 and the engagement of the stops 20 22 when thelevers are actuated.

The power for operating the brake is applied to the extended end 21 ofthe arm 21 and may be of any suitable character, either hand or power..W hen thus constructed and power applied to the arm 21, the shaft 18will be rotated and cause theeccentric 19 to operate the jaw member 15,and at the same time the spring 23 will be compressed and move the arm20 and cause the shaft 16 and its eccentric 17 to be rotated and depressthe member 13, the springs 23 and 17 providing for a yieldable andgradually-applied force downward upon the head of the rail, while theforce of the jaw member 15 is likewise yieldably and gradually appliedto the side of the head of the rail by reason of the presence of thespring 15 between the eccentric 19 and the jaw member. The action of thejaw member is to draw the two parts 15" and 13 forcibly against thesides of the head at the same time that the foot member 13 is forciblydepressed downward upon the head. By the peculiar form and arrangementof the lever-arms and the presence of the springs 15, 17 and 23 theforce can be applied very gradually, so as to perfectly adapt the braketo the circumstances under which it is required.

It a very sudden stoppage is required, the whole power can be quicklyapplied and the rail gripped with great force and tenacity; but if agradual stoppage is required the brake can be applied as gradually asmay be deemed necessary.

The stops 20 22 serve to limit the downward movement of the arm 22toward the arm 20 to protect the spring 23 and prevent its compressionbeyond the safety limit, and

the link 22 likewise prevents the undue separation of the arms and theconsequent undue expansion of the spring.

An expansion-spring 24 is inserted between the jaw member 15 and thefoot-pressure member 13 below the joint 14 to separate the jaw memberswhen the brake is released, and thus restore them to their normalposition.

A spring 25 will be inserted in a slot 25 in the member 13 and engage abolt 26 therein to automatically return it to its upward position whenreleased.

A spring 26 will be arranged between the nut 26 of the bolt 26 and themember 13 to provide a laterally-yieldable support to the member 13, sothat it will be able to resist any undue lateral strain and preventbreakage of the parts. By this simple means a complete and operativeemergency trackbrake is produced, which may be quickly applied whenrequired and which may be applied as gradually or as suddenly as thecircumstances may require. I

In Fig. 3 a modification in the construction is shown, consisting inemploying two of the movable jaw members like the jaw member 15 andadapting them to operate upon opposite sides of a central member, thelatter disposed to be depressed forcibly upon the head of the rail inthe same manner as in the other modifications. In this structure thecentral member corresponding to the part 13 is designated by 27, thepart corresponding to the member 15 designated by 28, and thesupplemental jaw member designated by 29. In this modification thevertically-movable member 27 is operated by an eccentric 27 and theparts 28 29 operated by eccentrics 28 and 29, respectively, as shown, insubstantially the same manner as in the other structures. The action inthis modification is the same as in the structure shown in Figs. 1 and2, and the results are the same.

In Fig. 4 another modification is shown, which will be employed inconnection with the ordinary street-railway rails 10. In this form ofthe device the pressure-foot member 13 is actuated by the cam 17 and isprovided with an extension 13 to bear against the side of therail-tread. Fulcrumed upon the pressure-foot is a lever 15, actuated bya cam 19 and provided with a terminal rail-engaging portion 15 to opposethe extension 13, or, in other words, bear upon the opposite side of therail-tread from said extension. The pressure-foot is movable laterallyto cause the extension 13 to bear against the side of the rail-tread bymeans of a hand-lever 30.

In Fig.5 a transverse section through the jaw member 15 and verticalmember 13 is shown, with springs 31 32 attached to the parts 15 and 13"and extending laterally in opposite directions and provided with rollers31 32, so arranged that the rollers engage the side of the head 10 inadvance of the contact member 15, so as to produce a gradually-appliedforce and prevent any sudden grip or contact between the parts.

These various modifications all operate in substantially the same mannerand produce the same results and are therefore not a departure from thespirit of the invention and may be employed without sacrificing any ofits advantages.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 is designed for use more particularlyinconnection with locomotives.

Ice and obstruction scrapers 33 may be attachedto the presser-footmember 13, if required, as shown in Fig. 2.

\Vhen the arm 22 is moved far enough to cause the lug 22 to engage thelug 20, a solid connection is produced, which causes the shoes to gripthe rail strongly, and when it is desired to apply the brake quickly thelever 22 will be moved quickly and at once compress the spring 23 andforce the lugs 20 and 22 into engagement. By this means the brake may beactuated suddenly or gradually,

vas may be desired.

The jaw members 13 15 will be rounded, as indicated in Fig. 5, so thatthe device will freely pass over frogs, switches, or other projections.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is v 1. Acar-brake comprising a downwardlymovable presser-foot, alaterally-movable jaw carried by said presser-foot, means for operatingsaid presser-foot, and means carried by said presser-foot for operatingsaid jaw, substantially as described.

2. In a car-brake, a supporting-frame, a presser-foot carried by saidframe and downwardly movable thereon, a laterally-movable jaw carried bysaid presser-foot, means carried by said frame for operating saidpresserfoot, and means carried by said presser-foot for operating saidmovable jaw, substantially as described.

3. A car-brake comprising a downwardlymovable presser-foot adapted toforcibly engage the top of the rail and with an extension adapted toengage the side of the rail, and means for moving said presser-footdownwardly and laterally, substantially as described.

4. A car-brake comprising a downwardlymovable presser-foot adapted toforcibly engage the top of the rail and with an extension adapted toengage one side of the rail, a laterally-movable jaw adapted to forciblyen-. gage the opposite side of said rail, means for operating saidpresser-foot downwardly and laterally, and means for operating said jawlaterally, substantially as described.

5. In a car-brake, a supporting-frame, a downwardly-movable presser-footcarried by said frame, a laterally-movable jaw carried by saidpresser-foot, a transverse shaft carried by said frame and having aneccentric engaging said presser-foot, a transverse shaft carried by saidpresser-foot and having an eccentric engaging said jaw, and means foroperating said shafts, substantially as described.

6. In a car-brake, a supporting-frame, a downwardly-movable presser-footcarried by said frame, a laterally-movable jaw carried 'by saidpresser-foot, a transverse shaft carried by said frame and having aneccentric engaging said presser-foot, a transverse shaft carried by saidpresser-foot and having an eccentric engaging said jaw, a lever-armcarried by said presser-foot-operating shaft, a lever-arm carried bysaid jaw-operatin g shaft, a bar movably connected to saidpresser-footshaft arm and having a slot engaging said jaw-shaft arm, anda spring connecting the free ends of said bar and said resser-foo shaftarm, substantially as described.

'7. In a car-brake, a supporting-frame, a presser-foot carried by saidframe and having a longitudinal slot, a holding-bolt extending from saidframe and engaging said slot, a spring in said slot above said bolt andexerting its force to maintain said presser-foot normally upward, aneccentric carried by said frame and in engagement with said presserfoot,and a spring between said eccentric and said presser-foot whereby saidpresser-foot will be yieldably operated, substantially as described.

8. In a car-brake, a supporting-frame, a presser-foot carried by saidframe and having a longitudinal slot, a holding-bolt extending from saidframe and engaging said slot, a spring in said slot above said bolt andexerting its force to maintain said presser-foot normally upward, meansfor forcibly moving said presser-foot downward, and a spring upon saidbolt exteriorly of said presser-foot, and adapted to yieldably supportsaid presserfoot upon said frame, substantially as described.

9. A car-brake comprising a downwardlymovable presser-foot adapted toforcibly engage the top of the rail, and laterally-movable jaws carriedby said presser-foot and adapted to engage the opposite sides of therail, substantially as described.

10. In a car-brake, a downwardly-movable presser-foot adapted toforcibly engage the top of the rail with an extension adapted to engageone side of the rail, a laterally-movable jaw carried by saidpresser-foot adapted to forcibly engage the opposite side of the rail,and means for forcibly moving said presser-foot laterally to cause saidextension to engage -the side of the rail, substantially as described.

11. In a car-brake, a downwardly-movable presser-foot adapted to engagethe top of the rail and having lateral extensions adapted to engage oneside of the rail, a laterally-movable jaw carried by said resser-footand having lateral extensions adapted to engage the opposite side of therail, and spring-arms carried by said extensions and extending there-

